


The Boy Next Door

by darkchives



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AU, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-31 23:43:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3997639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkchives/pseuds/darkchives
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard makes a little mistake that leads he and Jim to the boy next door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boy Next Door

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the film This Means War

Pavel Chekov smiled as he flipped the keys around in his fingers. This summer was going to be wonderful. His chemistry professor’s house, all to himself, all expenses (besides food) and a small stipend paid. Plenty of time for R&R (which to Chekov meant rest and research). 

The house was in a subdivision a few minutes’ drive from campus, and he moved in a little after sundown. He didn’t have much luggage, and after putting his suitcase in the stairwell, he came back outside to poke around. The yard was huge and gorgeous, even at night. He could see shadows of a couple tall trees and even further back, a thicker copse that blocked off the yard from outside viewing. He smiled at the comfortable privacy and unlocked the back door, flicking on the light as he went in. 

Xx

“Didn’t Mr. Pike say that he was leaving for Bermuda for the summer?” Leonard peered out of his front window at his neighbor’s house across the street. 

“Yeah, why?” Jim sat on the couch, stirring his coffee disinterestedly. 

“I thought I saw a car go down his drive.” In fact, he was sure he saw a rundown Chevy turn into their neighbor’s long, winding driveway. 

“And?” Jim rolled his eyes as Leonard scanned the tree-covered yard. 

“And he could be getting robbed.” Jim stood and peered out the window beside Leonard. 

“I don’t see anything. Are you getting senile, old man?” He smacked the blinds closed. 

“I’m not senile, and I’m not old. His whole life is in that house after that accident last year. You can’t let a man in a wheelchair get his house robbed.”

“Then call the cops, Bones. Liven up the neighborhood a bit. Or get a boyfriend. Clearly you need one.”

“Are you volunteering?”

“A geezer like you? Never. Do you see this young and attractive face before you?”

“Shut it. I think I see movement.”

Xx

Chekov settled his things into the guest bedroom and went to find Professor Pike’s dog, a sweet-natured but rambunctious German shepherd. Pike had left him in the garage until Chekov could get to the house, and sure enough, Nero was there, tail wagging and tongue lolling. Chekov stooped to pet him, but sighed at the state of the garage. In his boredom, Nero had knocked over several boxes and strewn recycled papers across the floor. “Silly dog,” Chekov murmured. “Let’s get you outside, you can run around for a minute.”

He opened the garage’s side door and Nero burst past him, racing around the yard and letting out a celebratory bark. “Nero, shh! People are probably trying to sleep!” Chekov glanced around, and noticed a window screen slightly askew. He sighed again. He’d have to email Pike and tell him about requisite repairs. He glanced around the neighborhood and saw open blinds across the street. The couple that lived there seemed to be peering out into the darkness. Chekov shrugged and looked back at the screen.

Chekov was too busy studying the window to notice the sound of sirens until they were in front of the house. He looked up at the noise, and quickly ducked his head in shock – a police floodlight was shining into his eyes.

“Put your hands in the air, kid!”

xx

“They’re sure taking their time.” Leonard was wearing a path in the living room carpet, pacing and worrying about his decision to call the police. What if he was mistaken? A false alarm would be humiliating and he’d never hear the end of it from the police officers that frequently stopped by the hospital where he worked. 

“They’re busy rescuing kitties and responding to the reports of neighborhood snoops such as yourself,” said Jim. “Relax, they’ll be here soon enough.” Bones paced for a few more minutes before he heard the sirens. He jumped at a loud knock on the door. 

The officer at the door was a patient of Leonard’s, a cop who’d caught a nail to the foot during a construction project. 

“Cupcake! How’s it going?” Jim grinned when Hendorff flipped him the bird and barged unceremoniously into the house.

“Jim, what are you doing here? Haven’t seen you down at the station recently. Been keeping your nose clean?”

“The good doctor is my roommate. And of course my nose is clean. I do my best, Officer.”

Hendorff grinned and turned back to Leonard. “Whew, I thought you’d married him or something. You better be right about this, McCoy. The boys and I were busy with another case.” He hung his coat on the doorknob and pulled out a small notebook. 

“Case of beer doesn’t count as a case, Hendorff. Tell your buddies I don’t pay my taxes so they can sit around. Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be across the street?” Jim gave Hendorff a cup of coffee and retreated in the back room under Leonard’s poison glare. 

“Didn’t think you lived with such a homebody, Leonard. Anyway, the boys are over there, I’m over here. What happened?” Hendorff was poised to write with a pen that was obviously stolen from the local bank.

“Well, uh, I saw a car pulling into our neighbor’s driveway. He’s gone, so I thought it was suspicious.” Bones realized suddenly that he had actually seen very little. “And Jim’s hardly a homebody.”

“You cannot be serious.” Hendorff flipped his notebook closed. Leonard may have made a small mistake. 

Xx

“There has to have been a mistake,” said Chekov, voice high-pitched with fear. “I swear I’m house-sitting, I swear it! Look, I’ll grab the key for you!”

“Don’t even think about moving your hands, kid,” warned the officer. Chekov opened his eyes halfway to see a gun trained on him. 

Nero was nowhere to be found, and the other officer had gone into the garage. “It’s a warzone in here,” he shouted. “This kid has to be insane.”

Chekov shook his head vigorously. “It was the professor’s dog. I-I let him out right before you got here. I think the noise scared him away.”

“Shut it, kid.”

“Please, I can show you the key.”

A third officer appeared from around the front of the house. “Place is unlocked, and there are some lights on. No sign of foul play.”

Chekov nodded. “See, no foul play!”

The first officer lowered his gun. “Okay, okay. Very slowly, reach for the key.” 

Chekov gingerly produced it and laid it on the grass, and the third officer picked it up.

“It matches. He’s clean. Sorry about this, young man. If you don’t mind, we’re going to ask you a few more questions and have a conversation with your neighbor.

Xx

Leonard and Hendorff sat in the living room for barely five minutes before radio chatter broke the silence. 

“It’s all clear. Tell that crackpot it was a false alarm. The professor asked the suspect to watch his home while-“ Laughter on the other end of the walkie-talkie overshadowed the voice. Hendorff rolled his eyes and silenced the chatter. 

“It looks like it’s settled, McCoy. They probably scared the living daylights out of whoever’s watchin’ the place. I’ll see you at my kid’s next checkup.” Leonard’s face reddened as Hendorff left their home. A house-sitter. How had he not thought of a house-sitter? The man had a dog to tend to dammit. 

Leonard cringed when Jim’s loud laughter erupted from his bedroom. Seconds later he was in the living room, doubled over. “We can invest in a front porch swing if you want to make spying on the neighbors a regular event. I’ll get some better coffee for when our friend Hendorff comes around. It’ll be a party.” 

“This isn’t funny, Jim. It’s probably one of his students too. I’ve probably traumatized a baby undergrad.” He paced the living room again and peered out the window until the last of the police cars pulled out of the winding driveway. 

A few minutes later, after the cop cars drove away, there was another knock at the door. Leonard answered it, confused.

“Hello, my name is Pavel Chekov. I’m house-sitting for Professor Pike. You, as concerned neighbors, might as well know who I am now.”

Leonard nearly reflexively told Jim to shush, but Jim had already begun his normal attempts at charming handsome strangers. He was surprised when a quick stab of jealousy went through his gut. 

“I’d like to make it clear that it was not I who did the cop-calling,” Jim began, smile instantly sardonic and blue eyes piercing. “Personally, I’ve very glad that we’ve got a responsible person such as yourself watching dear Mr. Pike’s house. Seriously, welcome to the neighborhood.”

Leonard butted in. “I’m the ass who called the cops. Leonard McCoy.”

“Dr. Leonard McCoy. You didn’t go to med school to be called Leonard,” Jim mocked and elicited a chuckle from the stranger at their door. 

Leonard glared. “Seriously, I have to do something to make it up to you. Let me buy you a lunch sometime this week. I feel terrible.” Leonard smiled at the curly haired man. Leonard was supremely lucky that Pavel was attractive. Lunch with him wouldn’t be much of a chore. 

Pavel smiled shyly. “Oh? Like, a date? I’d be delighted, Doctor. As long as you promise not to call the cops again.” His smiled widened and he ducked his head. “I’ll be going, I’ve got a dog to take care of.” He quickly stepped out the door, heart thumping. Two attractive neighbors, and an entire summer stretching before him. He walked back to Pike’s house and found Nero waiting patiently at the door. “Atta boy.”

XX

“I can’t believe you did that.” Jim turned to Leonard after their new neighbor had left. 

“Did what?” he replied, faux innocence obvious in his tone. 

“I had him in my crosshairs. You poached, man. You know when I’m about to make a move.”

“Well, maybe you’re not his type.” Leonard replied. He had pegged Pavel as a bookworm. You had to be to excel in Pike’s classes. The old professor had even given Jim a run for his money before they graduated. 

Jim’s eyes narrowed. “Bones, look at me. I’m everyone’s type. I’m probably your type. I hope your lunch is slightly awkward.”

Leonard huffed. “You hope that my lunch is slightly awkward. Really? That’s all you got?”

“I can’t wish real harm on you. But I hope you spill your food and it’s embarrassing and then he’ll date me instead.” Jim shrugged. “No, I know he’ll date me instead. So there.”

“Keep dreaming, Fabio. I asked first, and there’s no way a guy like that’s going to date a pair of roommates. He’s not a big slut like you.” The last comment sent Jim lunging at Leonard. After a short struggle, Leonard was pinned under him in the middle of the living room, both of them laughing and gasping for air. 

“I yield. Get off of me.” 

“I’ll fight you for him.” Jim continued to hold Leonard down.

“I’m not fighting you for him, Jim. You’ve already proven you’d beat me. I wouldn’t agree to something I know I couldn’t win. Only you would do that.”

“Yeah, whatever, classic dead-daddy-issues Jim. I’m serious about the fighting, Leonard. Not like, actual fist fight, because that’s stupid. But we could both go on dates with him. It will be his decision.”

Leonard sighed. “Fine. But I don’t condone this.”

Xx

Chekov had no job for the summer other than watching Nero and researching for his senior thesis, so he woke up a scarce half-hour before his date with Leonard. “What am I doing, Nero?” he asked the dog as he ran a comb through his hair. “I don’t even know this guy. Or his hot roommate.” He paused a moment. Hot roommate – boyfriend? -- might have been a senior when he was a freshman, but he didn’t know exactly. If a person wasn’t a hard science major, Chekov probably never saw them. Leonard was definitely a little older, but it was an attractive sort of older. Clearly he’d been successful, to be this young and have a position as a doctor. The city’s clinic was small but nevertheless respected. 

Chekov stepped outside the house at 11:30 only to see Leonard across the street, already waiting. Chekov waved and headed over, where Leonard opened his Honda Accord’s passenger door. “Where do you want to go for food?”

Chekov shrugged. “Anywhere is fine. So is your car. Fine, that is. I mean, I’m just…you seem very successful, Dr. McCoy. I’m a little surprised you asked me to lunch, honestly. I assumed you were with Jim, or too mature for me.”

“Jim? Ha. And how old do you think I am, anyway? Please call me Leonard, Pavel. Anyway, you don’t sound like you’re doing to bad yourself. You’re graduating pretty young, aren’t you?”

Chekov shook his head. “I’ll have finished my degree in two years. Sort of young, I suppose. But look at you! Already a doctor. It’s inspiring. Though perhaps all that success made you paranoid? I still can’t believe you called the cops on me.”

“You’re not gonna let that go are you? Pike’s a good man and I didn’t want any punk in an old Chevy ruining his vacation. What exactly are you studying anyway? Pike’s sort of a renaissance man when it comes to the classes he teaches. Bit of everything I’ve heard.”

“He’s great, and my advisor, actually. I’ve had him for a couple classes – a couple of physics electives. I’m majoring in theoretical physics, with a minor in astrology. I suppose I’m the mathematical equivalent of a dreamer.”

Leonard pulled the car into the Enterprise Diner. Chekov grinned. “Excellent choice. I love breakfast food.”

XX

Leonard dropped Chekov off at the door despite the man’s insistence that he could walk the 100 feet from Leonard’s driveway to his door. “I called the police on you. The least I can do is give you a ride home. Oh, and here’s my number if you need anything. Jim and I work weird hours, but one of us is usually home.” 

Chekov took the number and put it in his shirt pocket before leaning in through the car window and scrawling his own on the receipt from their lunch. “I’d like to do this again sometime if you want to.” Chekov stuck the receipt in the visor and waved goodbye. 

“I would definitely love it.”

Jim was already home when Leonard walked in the door. “So?” he demanded before Leonard had even come in all the way. “How was it? What did you talk about? What did you do? Tell me everything.”

“That’s hardly fair,” said Leonard. “I can’t just share all my intel with you.”

“Sure you can,” said Jim intensely. “That’s part of the fun. We’ll tag-team him. So though this is a battle, it’s also a team operation. One of us will date this kid. Now, spill.”

Xx

Chekov called his school friend Scotty, a theoretical engineering major who he’d met in class. “Scotty, life is insane.”

“You’re telling me,” said Scotty, who had a summer internship with NASA. “What’s up?” 

“I’m sort of going to date two older men, who inexplicably should be dating each other? What is going on? They’re both gorgeous and I don’t know what to do.”

Scotty sighed on the other end. “You’re such a flirt. Seriously dating?”

“No, casual. They’re Pike’s neighbors.”

“Ah. Well, keep it up until you figure out who you like better. No harm done. Say, have you talked to Hikaru recently?”

Chekov felt his face turn red. “Not since the party. I-I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“You should talk to Hikaru. Don’t break his little heart by jumping too quickly for two cradle-robbers at once.”

“Could you have made that sound more creepy? You horrify me. But you’re probably right. Thanks, man.”

“Sure, kid. Behave yourself.”

The line clicked. Chekov stared at Nero, holding his phone. “What am I doing?” he murmured. 

XX

“Fine. He likes breakfast food and theoretical physics. He’s from Russia and immigrated here when he was 14 years old.” Leonard began a rundown of their lunch. “This is completely off-topic, but this kid believes that soda, astronomy, the toothbrush, and pop music were all invented in Russia.”

Jim shrugged, “I’ve dated crazier. What else?”

“He wants to be a part of the first manned mission to Mars, but he wants a family with a couple of kids too.” 

“A real family man is he?” 

“Quit making fun, Jim. Do you wanna know the best part?”

“Enlighten me, you cradlesnatcher.”

“You’re a year younger than me, Jim, and he isn’t that much younger anyway. Do you want to know the news or not?”

“I said enlighten me, crypt keeper.”

“We’re going on a second date on Tuesday. He texted me a few minutes ago. The museum of Science in Springfield.”

“Wow, a museum date. And a little bit of a drive to get there. I’m going to have to actually try, I suppose.”

“You thought this would be easy? You punk.”

“I think we’ll have a casual run-in while he’s walking the dog. Watch and learn, old man.”

Xx

Chekov clicked the leash onto Nero’s collar and headed out the door. He walked around the block and looped around the neighborhood, enjoying the pleasant summer air. He hummed a Russian folk song and stooped to pick up Nero’s leavings. When he stood up again, he saw Jim walking toward him.

Jim smiled and walked a little quicker. “Hey! How’s the evening?”

Chekov returned the smile. “Very pleasant. How are you?”

“All the better for seeing you. I’m Jim Kirk, if you didn’t officially catch my name. Currently freelance photographer.” 

“I knew your name, but it’s nice to hear it from you. Photography, eh? Do you get much business here?”

“Yeah, actually. I’m well-known for my wedding shoots, and some of my stuff has gotten into art shows. Are you into art at all?”

Chekov shrugged. “I like impressionism, I guess. I mean, it’s not huge in Russia, but from what I’ve seen I appreciate it. More of a science person.” 

Inwardly, Jim fumed. This wasn’t quite as easy as he’d hoped. “Everyone’s got to have different interests or the world would be boring.”

Chekov nodded. “You’re so right. I wish I knew more about art.”

Jim perked up a bit. “Do you happen to like museums?”

Chekov nodded again. “I adore museums.”

“Good. We’re going to the art museum.”

XX 

“I really enjoyed the display on the origins of the universe. It was a bit elementary for my taste, but it very well explained the current accepted theories and some of the more outlandish ones too. This was a brilliant idea, Leonard.”

Leonard had nodded politely during most of the guided tour of the museum. He wasn’t stupid when it came to that kind of stuff by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn’t as passionate as Chekov and the museum was packed with screaming children. 

“Thank you, but maybe we shouldn’t have come during school hours.” He shouted over the din of the hundred school children all crammed into the museum’s small cafeteria. 

“I don’t mind it. It reminds me of home. I had many brothers and sisters at home. Since coming to college I have not been able to go back and see them in a while. They are across the country and I don’t have the money for that kind of trip too often.” 

They ate their overpriced food and talked about the cold Russian winters were and the hot Georgia summers. 

“Only Russian cars can survive Russian winter. All other cars freeze on the roads. They caused big traffic jams. The ice is so thick in winter you can build a house and not have to move until spring comes. Homelessness is no problem in Russia during the winter.” Chekov gesticulated wildly talking about the snowdrifts and nights that you thought would never end. 

Leonard laughed, “I’m fairly certain you made a few of those stories up, Chek.” 

“ I would never. It is a tough, beautiful place to live, Leonard.”

Xx

“Okay, so what we’re dealing with is a person kind of obsessed with Russian things. How do we get him out of the constant Russia mode?” Jim sighed. He and Leonard were comparing notes from their respective museum visits. “Bones, you know, he dragged me right to the Russian art collection. Russians make some weird stuff, man. I mean, I went to art school. I like weird stuff. But somehow his appreciation far surpassed my own.”

“Jim, this kid is kind of crazy. Maybe we should stop trying so hard.”

Jim glared. “That is to admit defeat. I don’t believe in no-win scenarios.”

Leonard shook his head. “Of course you don’t. I didn’t know you liked contemporary art.”

Jim smiled slightly. “I didn’t think you’d care.”

Leonard met his gaze. “I guess you were wrong.”

Xx

Chekov swallowed and sent the message to Hikaru Sulu. They’d gotten very close in the last year, until an end of the year party where Chekov had had a little too much vodka and kissed him. Sulu had been taken completely off-guard, and when he tried to respond, Chekov had promptly thrown up and gone home. They hadn’t spoken since. 

Sulu replied very quickly. Chekov frowned and looked at Nero, trying to decide how he felt. “I wish I were a dog. Then maybe I wouldn’t be such a mess. Eh, Nero? Hmm. Let’s go outside.”

Xx

“Operation Freeze the Russian Heart is not going well. He seemed distracted when we went to the movies. Normally I distract dates during movies, not their phones. I think he’s playing us as much as we’re playing him.” Jim let out a longsuffering sigh. 

Leonard had also noticed Chekov’s distractedness while they were walking Nero together. He kept checking his phone obsessively and smiling at the screen. 

“I thought it was you sabotaging our date and texting him.” Leonard accused. If it was neither of them, then who else was he seeing? 

“Maybe it’s a friend?” Jim suggested. 

“You don’t make the expressions he did when you’re texting your friends.” 

“Maybe we thought we were hunting a sweet, fluffy bunny, but what we found was a damn mountain lion. This might be my first no-win scenario, Bones.”

“Jim, I don’t like the sound of that. At this rate, I’ll die alone.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “I refuse to let that happen. If one of us doesn’t get the Russian, you’ll marry me, no questions asked.”

“No, there will be questions. Like, how will you support me in my old age? Certainly not as a photographer.”

“Okay, that’s just unreasonable. I, an eligible bachelor, would be doing you such a great service by taking your crusty ass off the market.”

“I strongly object to crusty.”

Xx

“Scotty, help me.”

“What now?”

“I want to date Hikaru. Like, not casually. Like, date him.”

“What about your neighbors, Mr. Rogers and the starving artist?”

Chekov sighed. “They’re great. But also maybe not for me. They’re fairly disinterested in Russia, for one thing. And they still act like a couple, for another.”

Scotty considered replying that everyone was fairly disinterested in Russia these days, but refrained. “A couple strikes, I admit.”

“Hikaru talks about Russia with me. I talk about Japan with him. It’s beautiful and intercultural and now I want to learn Japanese. And he’s more couply.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Please, support me.”

“Make Hikaru support you.”

“So I should stop dating my neighbors?”

“Yeah, I think it’s time.”

“You’ve been very helpful.”

“I know.” 

Xx

“I’m bowing out,” announced Jim suddenly. “He’s clearly not that interested.”

“You think he’s more interested in me?” Leonard demanded.

“Marginally? I don’t know! But I’d rather not try anymore.” Jim frowned at the floor, stirring his perpetual cup of coffee. 

Leonard sighed. “Why the sudden defeatism?”

“Because a relationship with Chekov is definitely not what I’m interested in, either.”

“Which means?” prodded Leonard.

“You’re actually senile. Why is this difficult? You. It means I’d rather have you. Okay? Bam. There’s the reason.”

Leonard felt his head go a bit light. He’d always known that he and Jim could probably work well together, but it had always been theoretical. There were so many if’s and but’s involved in the thought of them together that it had never seemed real, but he knew suddenly that that is what he wanted as well. Being with Jim had always felt so right. 

“Do you think that when we tell him he’ll say breakups were invented in Russia?”

Xx

Chekov steeled himself to venture across the street for what might be the last time. “They’re good guys,” he told Nero. “You know that. So this won’t be an issue, right? 

They’ll be understanding and respect my choices, right?” Nero cocked his head. “I wish you were Scotty to tell me the answers to my woes. Wish me luck, dog.” 

Chekov knocked lightly on the door, realized that the sound was impossibly quiet, and rang the bell instead. Both Leonard and Jim answered the door. Leonard was   
slightly flushed, and Jim had a strange brightness to his eyes. “Hey,” they said in unison. 

“Um, hi,” he said, trying to stay strong. “May I come inside for a minute?”

“Sure,” said Jim. “What’s up?” 

Chekov closed his eyes to calm down. “I love hanging out with you. Both of you.”

Jim and Leonard exchanged glances, translating roughly to _Oh, no._

“But I don’t think it will work anymore. With either of you. You see, I don’t want to lose you as friends, and you should know that I’m interested in someone else, and you both deserve better.” His heart beating quickly, Chekov waited for their responses.

They stayed silent for an eternity. Chekov felt near panic. And then suddenly they were laughing. Chekov’s eyes widened in horror. “What did I do? I’m so, so sorry!”

They kept laughing. Finally, Jim choked out, “Honestly, this is perfect. Because we were both about to tell you the same thing. You see, we’re kind of a thing now.”

“Kind of a thing?” interjected Leonard. “Only ‘kind of a thing’?” 

“Whatever, Bones, it’s complicated. Anyway, Pavel, you’re fine. I think we’ve all escaped a fairly awkward few months relatively unscathed. In fact, I’d call it an all-win scenario.”


End file.
